Darkest, Dearest
by infractus monumentum
Summary: [OCcentric] He reached out to her, ignoring the tip of her kunai against his neck. She hissed. 'I didn't ask you to come looking for me' He smiled. 'You never have.'


It was unnatural, to say the least. The way the power had gone out the _moment_ Gaara laid his eyes on her.

_Shit._

She had been walking down the hall amidst the other students. Around her, they cleared unconsciously, so instead of mingling with them as they did each other, she was surrounded by a perfect sphere of empty space. She stepped softly, smoothly, her gait that of an experienced dancer's.

The back of his neck prickled, and his obsidian gaze lifted quickly, instantly locking onto her mobile form.

It was at that exact moment that their eyes met, and she inhaled sharply – pain.

The power went out.

Amidst the chaos, that prickling feeling covered his entire body, and then it was gone.

The lights returned. There was a sphere of empty space among the students.

-

"Wind. Water. Fire. Earth. The primary elements." A pause. "Darkness. Light. Spirit… The secondary, yet more powerful, elements." The voice was female, young. "So far, only three users of the secondary elements have been discovered." Pink hair, vivid green eyes. Skin like milk.

"Thank you, Haruno." The teacher, a certain Hatake Kakashi, spoke, and the girl – Haruno Sakura – took her seat. "Does anyone else have something they would like to add?"

No one said a thing.

Suddenly the door opened, and the class's attention turned to it. A young woman entered, escorted by one of the school heartthrobs, Hyuuga Neji.

The instructor looked surprised, yet he nodded to Neji, who left the room a moment later after exchanging a look with one of the students. Kakashi pulled the young woman aside, and began to converse with her, in whispers. The class did the same, amongst themselves.

Uchiha Sasuke – the student with whom Neji had shared the glance – immediately turned to Gaara. "When did she get back?" He was met with a cold stare.

"I don't know." The jinchūriki's voice was cold.

Sasuke's ebony eyes widened momentarily. "What-"

"She's different. Something happened on her last mission." It seemed that despite his cool demeanor, the Suna-nin was worried.

That girl was one of their best friends. She was the only female member of the most sought after Anbu… The Four Horsemen. Uchiha Sasuke (War), Sabaku no Gaara (Famine), Uzumaki Naruto (Pollution), and her, Natsuki Eiriota… Death.

Kakashi turned to the class and motioned for silence. Eiriota drifted towards the back of the room, where there was a large area of empty desks. She chose the one furthest from the rest of the class, and sat down.

"Let's return to our discussion. The elements able to be used by shinobi. Is there anything anyone (except you, Haruno) who has anything to say?"

A young man raised his hand and stood. "Darkness, light, and spirit. The only three users of these elements are jinchūriki." A glance, cast at Gaara, and Eiriota.

"Natsuki." Kakashi's voice caused the young woman to raise her head. She had been laying it down against her desk, her arms curled around it. "A demonstration."

Her eyes, normally a beautiful emerald, swirled with black. The power went out.

Gaara felt that prickling sensation. Then it was gone, on to Sasuke. It was pitch black, as thick as pudding. The windows were open, but you could not see the midday light. Darkness enveloped everything.

Then it was over, and light came on, like a switch had been flicked in everyone's eyes.

"Explain how you did that." He was trying to hide it, but Kakashi's voice sounded a little bit startled. He was at a complete loss. She hadn't been able to do anything like that before.

"I took all the darkness in the room – the shadows, the darkness inside of your bodies… and feed it until it was strong enough to force out the light."

"I'm assuming Kokoru aided you?" He was now referring to her bijú, Nibi no Kokoru, the two tailed nekomata.

"No, I do my own stunts." Dry humor.

Gaara then knew that was what he felt. He had felt _her_. Free from all traces of the demon within her.

"You can repress your bijū from entering its native jutsu?"

Kokoru was composed of darkness, like Kyuubi no Youko was fire, and Onbi no Shukaku was sand.

"It's my body, my jutsu."

Gaara and Sasuke's eyes met.

_That's what I felt. She's no longer separate from Kokoru. The cat is one with her. She was strong enough to overpower it… She's the demon herself. Pure darkness._

- -

Naruto glared at the sun, while shielding his eyes with his left arm. "Stupid teme… Told me the wrong time."

"I did not. I told you half an hour early, so that you're _on_ time." The Uchiha in question smirked as he and Gaara walked up. Gaara's face was covered with a contemplative scowl.

"What's up with you?" Naruto peered at the redhead.

"Eiriota. She and Kokoru have merged."

"Really? Kyuubi had said something like that. I didn't think he meant literally…" The blonde rocked back on his heels. "So… Where is she?"

"Briefing the Hokage." Sasuke muttered, leaning against a tree. "She's been avoiding us."

"Really?"

"Is that all you can say?" Gaara snapped.

"Hey!" Naruto looked slightly taken aback.

"She hasn't said a word to anyone specifically all day, except Kakashi. And he miraculously disappeared right after the bell rang." Sasuke cast a slightly disturbed glance Gaara's way.

"This… _is_ odd. Normally he goes to flirt with Shizure, at least…" Naruto glanced at the Hokage's tower. "I wonder what happened on that mission."

"There's one way to find out." Sasuke smirked, at looked at Gaara. "Kankuro home?"

- - -

One of the guards entered the Hokage's room, and Tsunade merely motioned for him to take the corner the previous one had left. "What are you talking about, Eiriota?"

"I quit, Tsunade…" Eiriota's voice was soft. Unfortunately, the softness didn't extend to her eyes.

"You can't quit." Tsunade slammed a fist against her desk. "You are one of our best Anbu!"

"Fine." Seeming to give up the fight without any real struggle, the young woman turned and left, glaring sharply at the guard who had entered moments before.

"You need to find out what's wrong with her, Gaara." Tsunade looked over at the guard, who broke cleanly in half, revealing him/itself to be a mannequin with the jinchūriki inside.

"She wouldn't let me if I tried… How long has she been back, really?"

"A week. She hasn't been seen since her arrival, until today." The Hokage slumped into her chair, and rested her head on her arms.

"What happened on her mission?"

"She had to go to Kurogakure. Her presence was required. Hyuuga Neyoro, our special-nin assigned to guarding the border between the Shadow Country and us, told us that Kuronin alerted him that there was to be a revolt if the Kurokage did not return for some time… She needs to just do as you did, and assign a kage in her place while she's here."

"Yes, she does. But she wants to remain strong…"

"There's a difference between strong and stupid."

"I know…" Gaara sighed. Honestly, the only time he completely dropped his emotionless mask was when he was severely worried, and lately, it's always been about her. "It's been a year since we last saw her. I blame the Hyuuga." Most people knew of the enmity between the Kazekage and the once missing-nin.

"Neyoro returned ages before she did, but went back to get her a week later. So he _has_ been trying to make her return… You can't blame him for her prideful stubbornness."

A knock on the door. Unceremoniously, Naruto and Sasuke flung open the double doors, and strode in. "She looked pissed. What happened?" Naruto was the first to speak.

"She no longer wishes to be loosely classified as a Kona-nin. I don't know if she wants to return to Kurogakure, or what, but I won't let her just quit." Tsunade sounded exhausted.

"I have to talk to her…" Sasuke looked at Gaara, who nodded, a trace of anger entering his eyes. Turning, Sasuke evaporated in a cloud of smoke.

"He can make her listen to reason, Hokage… Or at least, give us a decent one for her actions." Gaara spoke, before disappearing in a cloud of sand.

"Ummm…. Bye?" Naruto disappeared.

"Those boys… Each so close to her. She knows she needs to make a choice. Maybe that's the problem? It's none of them?" Tsunade was staring blankly at the desk before her. "I hope you know what you're doing, girl."

- - - -

_Is there anybody out there?_

-

Eiriota stood in a clearing, a katana gripped in each hand.

-

_That wakes up with a bitter taste?_

-

Suddenly, she was a whirlwind, a human tornado, an inhuman thing that pummeled the trees – all the while surrounded by a black, silk-like aura.

-

_It's the king that we put up there._

_And he's a short way to fall from grace._

-

She spun to a stop, poised perfectly, like a dancer about to take a bow; One foot slightly ahead of the other, at an angle. She watched as fire joined her inner chaos.

-

_Don't be so greedy,_

_(A dollar's a penny to you.)_

_When hearts are beating,_

_Say what you want them to do._

-

Black eyes bore into her from across the clearing. "Violent."

"Shut up." She glared at him.

Sasuke's speed took him across the clearing in barely moments; he was there, in front of her suddenly, backing her into a tree. His arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her against him. He crushed his lips down on hers, devouring her. She tried to fight for a moment, and then gave up, stabbing the katana (plural) into the wood behind herself. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she let her body relax and give in to his impulsive control. She was used to this. This was them. Best friends by day, secret lovers by night, or whenever they were alone. Never a real relationship, no, they had never wanted that. They had enjoyed just… having each other, without the ties that _bound_ them to each other. And besides, Sasuke knew she would always be there, willing, whenever he wanted her.

She hated him for this, but would never say it. Because her hatred only lasted as long as she didn't touch him. Though she was completely his during their rendezvous, she always regretted her choice after. She didn't love him.

She though he was starting to love her.

He had said it once, those three words, and it had taken her by surprise. Sure, she had said it back, but her words sounded hollow, even to herself. She didn't want him to love her. Even if she regretted her actions concerning him, she would never want to be anything more… Because she loved someone else.

He pulled back, gazing down at her, his eyes endless. His voice was deep, husky, fueled by a desire for more than just this. But she would never. "I missed you."

"Can't see why…" She smirked, a half-grin that made her look every bit as cocky as he was.

" I haven't been with anyone since you left, not even Sakura… I was starting to think even Gaara would get more action than me…"

He missed the pained lok in her eyes at the thought of Gaara. "Oh."

"Why were you gone so long?"

"There were problems." She grabbed his hand, which has been trailing down her back, and pulled it off her body.

"Problems like?" He understood. When you talked business, it was business only.

"Personal things, Uchiha, it's none of your concern."

"If it's bad enough for you to not want to be here, it's my business."

"No, it's not."

"You and Kokoro _merged_, Eiriota. This is big."

"No… This is a choice. And it's mine, and mine alone."

"Let me influence you, please? If you aren't a shinobi, what will you be?"

"Myself. Or is that just not enough for you? What, you won't be able to live without your "Four Horsemen"? Neji can just take my place, I don't care! I just want out! Staying here is going to kill me! Take your stupid Horsemen. Take your shinobi lifee! The only reason you want me around is because you like the attention, just like Naruto! Gaara doesn't even care! He wouldn't have cared if I had _died_ on that mission! He doesn't love anyone! So I'm leaving!" During her tirade, her voice had grown louder, until she was screaming, tears running down her cheeks like rivers. This had drawn the searching Naruto, who entered the clearing in time to hear the part about himself. Gaara, who had been there the whole time, elected to stay hidden.

Grabbing her swords, Eiriota sheathed them and disappeared in a spiral of shadows.

"PMS…" Sasuke muttered.

"Worse…" Gaara leapt out of a tree. "Neyoro Hyuuga just got back. He reported to the Hokage that her village was attacked, and no one was left alive…"

"How long ago?" Sasuke's body tensed.

"A week after she left to return here."

"So… three days ago?" Naruto tilted his head.

"No… Eleven months ago."

-

_Wasting away, I see you,_

_When the top of the world falls on you._

-

-

-

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, or "Top of the World" by the All-American Rejects.

Review – please?


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